Related Media

What is 'too vague, generic and wordy'? (DOCUMENT)

Published: Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 06:00 PM.

Many people flying in and out of Northwest Florida Regional Airport see its name as “too vague, generic and wordy.”

It also is easily confused with Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City, according to a recent study conducted by Market Dynamics Research Group.

MDRG’s initial findings, presented to Okaloosa County commissioners Tuesday, are part of a six-month study aimed to create a better branding campaign for the county’s main airport.

The effort could conclude with changing the airport’s name to better reflect the area and what it offers.

“The airport continues to float out there with an identity crisis,” county Airports Director Sunil Harman said. “No one can really pin down the geographical areas associated with it.”

Most commissioners voiced support for the study.

Commissioner Wayne Harris, who just returned from an economic development trip to Germany, said the airports he used “referred to the airport as Fort Walton Beach.”

Harris said he is not opposed to hearing MDRG’s recommendations at the end of the study.

“Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Okaloosa Island — those are things we identify with,” he said. “Northwest Florida Regional Airport sounds like anywhere from Pensacola to Bay County, and I don’t want anything to do with that.”

Commissioner Dave Parisot objected to the study and its cost of about $35,000, which he said was too expensive.

“I think we’re being overcharged,” he said.

“They’re doing a minimum of work, interviewing very few people.”

Harman expects to present MDRG’s recommendations to the board by next summer.

Many people flying in and out of Northwest Florida Regional Airport see its name as “too vague, generic and wordy.”

It also is easily confused with Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City, according to a recent study conducted by Market Dynamics Research Group.

MDRG’s initial findings, presented to Okaloosa County commissioners Tuesday, are part of a six-month study aimed to create a better branding campaign for the county’s main airport.

The effort could conclude with changing the airport’s name to better reflect the area and what it offers.

“The airport continues to float out there with an identity crisis,” county Airports Director Sunil Harman said. “No one can really pin down the geographical areas associated with it.”

Most commissioners voiced support for the study.

Commissioner Wayne Harris, who just returned from an economic development trip to Germany, said the airports he used “referred to the airport as Fort Walton Beach.”

Harris said he is not opposed to hearing MDRG’s recommendations at the end of the study.

“Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Okaloosa Island — those are things we identify with,” he said. “Northwest Florida Regional Airport sounds like anywhere from Pensacola to Bay County, and I don’t want anything to do with that.”

Commissioner Dave Parisot objected to the study and its cost of about $35,000, which he said was too expensive.

“I think we’re being overcharged,” he said.

“They’re doing a minimum of work, interviewing very few people.”

Harman expects to present MDRG’s recommendations to the board by next summer.